Health problems associated with cigarette smoking have been well publicized. In various scientific studies, cigarette smoking has been linked to diseases such as lung, throat and other cancers as well as emphysema, smoker's cough and heart trouble.
Various attempts have been made to address these cigarette health problems through reformulation of cigarettes. For example, special blends of tobacco have been formulated for cigarettes with reduced levels of tar and nicotine. Unfortunately, each reduction of the tar and nicotine level has been accompanied by a corresponding reduced level of smoker satisfaction. As such, sales of lowered tar and nicotine cigarettes, particularly those commercially classified as "ultra low tar and nicotine", have not lived up to expectations. More recently, efforts have been made to altogether remove additives from cigarettes. While such "additive free" cigarettes may provide a purer smoke, it is unclear whether they provide any corresponding health benefits.
Attempts have also been made to insert additives into cigarettes to offset some of the hazardous substances present in tobacco. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,655 ("'655 patent") recommends insertion of alcohols into the tobacco or filters of cigarettes in order to neutralize the carcinogenic effect of N-nitrosamines, such as N'-Nitrosonoronicotine (NNN). According to the '655 patent, these alcohols can be advantageously packaged with other chemicals such as Vitamins A, B, C and E. Nonetheless, in Table IV of the '655 patent, it is taught that use of Vitamin E as a stand-alone additive (i.e., apart from an alcohol mixture) is ineffective in neutralizing NNN.
Similarly, in published PCT application No. WO 95/28098, it is suggested that cigarette additives can be formed from a complex of eukaryotic cell cultures with Vitamin E or a solution of natural substances of plant origin having anti-mutagenic and aromatizing properties also with Vitamin E. Nonetheless, there is no suggestion in this PCT publication that Vitamin E can have any efficacy as a stand-alone additive for cigarettes.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,558 ("'558 patent") and 3,667,478 ("'478 patent"), Vitamin A is recommended as a primary cigarette additive to promote better health. The '558 patent teaches that the Vitamin A should be inserted within the cigarette filtering medium in rupturable capsules, while the '478 patent teaches that a stabilized aqueous emulsion of active Vitamin A should be applied to the tobacco in a cigarette. The '478 patent indicates that other vitamins, such as Vitamins C, D, E etc., can be added to the Vitamin A emulsion but does not suggest that any of the other vitamins can be advantageously used as a stand-alone additive.
As noted, none of this prior art suggests the use of Vitamin E or a Vitamin E analog as a stand-alone cigarette additive, much less what forms, quantities and delivery mechanisms should be used for such a stand-alone Vitamin E type additive.